Term 2, Week 2
Principal's Piece
Dear Parents and Carers
This week has seen us settling into our Term 2 routines.
At present there are quite a few different bugs and viruses around. Thank you to those families who have been monitoring health carefully and taking appropriate steps to enable children to get well and help keep classmates safe.
This week we have hosted staff from our Broome regional office and from the Literacy Acquisition for Pre-Primary Students (LAPS) program. They worked with our staff to continue to increase our knowledge about different topics.
We are coming up to our School Climate Survey, a means for gathering information about how our school is performing. It is an opportunity to celebrate our successes and to identify areas where we can develop further. Information will be forwarded by email on Monday, May 8. I encourage you to fill in the survey, which will be open for two weeks.
We have been working with the Year 5/6 class to prepare for the selection of school and faction leaders. This is both an exciting and somewhat nervous time for the children, who will present their speeches about why they would make a good leader for our school community this week. We will announce the new leaders at the end of the week.
Our calendar has been updated with some additional events, including sports clinics and an student art exhibition. Please add the exhibition date to your calendar (24th May); we look forward to seeing you there. More information will be coming home closer to the event.
Mother's Day is coming up on Sunday May 14. We would like to celebrate our Mums with a Students vs Mums basketball game on Friday, May 12 at 12 noon. You are invited to stay on after the game and enjoy lunch with your children.
Go well this week.
Miss Therese
Principal
Canteen Volunteers
We are looking for parent helpers to assist Hellen in the Canteen. Even if you have just an hour to spare, it would be very welcome. Please drop by the office and we'll take you over to meet Hellen.

(You won't need a Working With Children Check if your child is enrolled at St Joseph's)
Send Your Kids to School
Send your kids to school - it is the best possible way they can get a good education.
If your child misses one 1 day per week of school,
by the time they are in Yr 4 they will have missed 1 whole year of school.
Already they will by 1 year behind expected learning!
It may take some tough love, but it is worth the effort to make your child go to school every day.
Set a good routine from Kindy, don't let them miss a day.
It will give them the best start in life.
SACRAMENTS and other matters
As in previous years, all classes will learn about Sacraments and rites of initiation in their Religious Education programs. For students of the Catholic faith, there will also be an opportunity to receive these Sacraments at St Vincent Palloti Catholic Church. In this case, please contact the school office to place your child’s name on the Sacrament list for 2023. The schedule for Sacraments is below:
Baptism
Please contact Sr Julianne or Fr Vinu, at any time, regarding a date.
Eucharist
The Sacrament of First Eucharist being celebrated on Sunday June 11th for Catholic children in years 5 or 6. If you have not already done so, please let Sr Julianne know if you wish for your child to be included.
This term, all classes will be doing a Unit of work on the Eucharist as part of their Religious Education Program.
Confirmation
Year 6 children on 27th August, during the pastoral visit of Bishop Michael Morrissey.
Other Matters
Mass
Each weekend, at St Vincent Pallotti Church on Saturdays at 5.30pm and Sundays at 8.30am. On Sundays, we also have Children’s Liturgy during mass.
Church Visits
In the next few weeks, classes will visit the Catholic Church for a tour. Fr Vinu will assist the children to become more familiar with ‘church etiquette’, the mass ritual, the surroundings and the sacredness of the building. He will also any questions they may have. Classes will either walk, or be bused to the church, dependent on age and weather.
We have been unable to have school mass at the Church in dry season for over two years due to COVID regulations. These Church visits with Fr Vinu, will be a lead up to a School Mass on Wednesday 31st May, to celebrate Pentecost. All are welcome.
Juniper Visits
Visits to Juniper Aged Care will continue this term. Teachers will notify you via Seesaw about the date when your child’s class will visit the residents.
Please don’t hesitate to contact Sr Julianne or Miss Marion Roberts, through the school office, at any time if have queries or questions about our Religious Education program.
Sr Julianne
Easter Celebrations & Month of Mary
Congratulations to all the classes who assisted with our Easter Season morning assemblies. Last week we remembered the appearances of Jesus after the resurrection. The children looked amazing in their bright clothes as they formed a congo line and sang “Alleluia, Jesus has Risen”, with great enthusiasm! Thank you for your support.
Our Easter story continues! We will remember the Ascension of Jesus, with a morning assembly on Thursday, May 18th.
We will also recall the Feast of Pentecost on Friday, May 31st with a mass at the Church. (Some children in younger grades will have a more meaningful prayer in their classrooms.) Children may wish to wear red/yellow/orange on that day, as fire is one of the symbols of the Holy Spirit (no donation expected). All welcome.
May is traditionally in the Catholic Church, the month where we particularly honour Mary, Mother of Jesus. You may wish to take time as a family to pray the Hail Mary.
Art News
The Year 3 Class has shown great design development and skill as they continue to create their clay sculptures of animals and learn about form and other elements of art. Students initially learnt about perspective while drawing a chosen animal from a variety of angles. They then studied line and texture while developing patterns for their animals. Their final piece of art is influenced by Traditional North American Totem Poles for which they compared symbols used in these art forms as well as symbols used in Indigenous Australian art. Now that they have tested out their skills both on salt dough creations and digitally, students will soon decorate their clay masterpieces with a variety of symbols, textures and colours.
The other classes have also been creating fantastic works of art such as self portraits and illustrations of the Kununurra landscape. We can't wait to share our work with you at our art exhibition in Week 5 (24th May)!
Miss Roberts
Specialist Teacher
Olivia and Grace’s farm fresh
free range eggs
~ $8 a carton ~
Call or text
Mary (Mum) on 0428 524 611
Canteen Menu Terms 2 & 3
Families at St Joseph’s to receive more affordable quality Catholic education
Families at St Joseph’s School will continue to benefit from high quality, Christ-centred and child-focused education in 2023.
Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA) has announced that the fees parents pay at St Joseph’s will be $739 for a single child in 2023 (see attached email for information about fees for additional children). This compares to current fees of $1,137 for a single child.
The changes to school fees have come about as a result of changes to the overall funding for Catholic schools in Western Australia. Our school and CEWA are able to utilise a greater level of data to inform how we determine fees in a way that better matches our school and community’s unique context.
I hope families will welcome this news as indicative of our school’s commitment to meeting the needs of the Kununurra community we serve. The reduction in fees has been impacted by changes to the Federal Government’s funding model, which is now based on the parent community’s Direct Measure of Income (DMI). We are strongly committed to delivering the highest quality education alongside all our other current programmes offered in 2023 and beyond.
The change in fees is a strong sign of Catholic education’s continued place as the best value for money education option for young people in Western Australia.
Miss Therese
Principal
School Bus Contact Details
The School Bus Contractors are Dylon and Chelsea Lodge.
Chelsea: 0450 250 691
Dylon: 0415 945 330
Please note that cash payments for Book Club are no longer accepted at St Joseph's. All orders should be placed through Book Club Loop.
See: https://www.scholastic.com.au/book-club/book-club-parents/
St Joseph’s Student Code of Conduct
The St Joseph’s Student Code of Conduct was developed by the students of St Joseph’s. Students participated in Steps 1 to 4 during Term 1 2021. Step 5 was worked through during term 2 and Step 6 completed during Term 3. The Student Code of Conduct was reviewed by students in Year 3 to 6 on two separate occasions. The Student Code of Conduct was shared with the wider school community during Term 3.
At St Joseph’s School, Kununurra we want to feel Safe.
1. In order to feel Safe we will follow school rules.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will ask an adult for help.
2. In order to feel Safe we will listen and follow instructions.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will ask an adult for help.
3. In order to feel Safe we will help and care for others.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will ask them why they are feeling that way.
4. In order to feel Safe we will keep our hands and feet to ourselves.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will ignore them or walk away.
5. In order to feel Safe we will treat others the way we would like to be treated.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will remind them of the golden rule.
At St Joseph’s School, Kununurra we want to feel Happy.
1. In order to feel Happy we will smile, laugh, sing and dance.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will ask them if they are alright.
2. In order to feel Happy we will be kind to others.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will ask an adult for help.
3. In order to feel Happy we will make friends and play with them.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will play with and include them.
4. In order to feel Happy we will come to school everyday.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will look after them.
5. In order to feel Happy we will listen to the teacher and other adults.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will try to make them feel happy.
Our Code of Conduct prohibits bullying, harassment and other forms of peer-to-peer abuse and we require respect for the privacy and human dignity of other students.
Containers for change can assist in raising money for school resources. You can either deposit your cans in the school bins near the fence or take your own bag to the depot and write our school code on your bag.
Reminders
Term Dates 2023
Term Dates 2023
Term 1: Wednesday 1 February - Thursday 6 April
Term 2: Tuesday 26 April - Friday 30 June
Term 3: Tuesday 18 July - Friday 22 September
Term 4: Monday 9 October - Friday 8 December
Public Holidays During Term Time 2023
Monday 6 March: Labour Day
Friday 7 April - Good Friday
Tuesday 25 April: ANZAC Day
Monday 5 June: Western Australia Day
Pupil Free Days 2023
Monday, 24 April
Thursday & Friday, 1 & 2 June
Monday, 17 July
Monday, 4th September (Catholic Day)
Assemblies
Our assemblies are every second Friday afternoon at 1.10pm.
Week 2: 5 May - Year 1
Week 4: 19 May - PP
Week 6: 2 June - Year 5/6
Week 8: 16 June - Year 4
Week 10: To be confirmed
Kindy Days
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday
7.50am - 2.00pm
Description Title
We are ready to collect your recyclable containers. Our drop off point is currently located in the staff carpark, just inside the fence. Money earned goes towards Mini Vinnies.
If you change your phone number, please tell us. We many need to contact you if your child is sick or doesn’t get picked up after school.
Most school age children are eligible for free dental care in Kununurra School Dental Clinic.
Primary School children become eligible to attend the School Dental Service in the year they turn 5.
High School children are eligible to attend the School Dental Service until they complete Year 11 or the day they turn 17 (whichever occurs first).
If you changed your address or phone numbers, please advise dental clinic staff. Missed appointments may result in suspension from the School Dental Service.
We are located on the hospital grounds in the Dental Health Building, 69 Coolibah Drive and are open Monday to Friday 7:30 to 3:30.
Please feel free to call us on 0419 939 179 or email: kununurramobile@dental.health.wa.gov.au to organise an appointment.
